Nearby Theaters

Opened in 1913 in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn on Knickerbocker Avenue at the corner of Willoughby Avenue. Listed in the 1914-1915 edition of the American Motion Picture Directory, at 256 Knickerbocker Avenue. In later editions of Film Daily Yearbook, the address is given as 260 Knickerbocker Avenue. Alterations were carried out in 1932 to the plans of architect Eric O. Holmgren

It was closed in 1951 and in 1953 was converted into a dance hall. In 2013 it is in use as a church.

Warren, in looking for a “phantom” theater on Knickerbocker, I just thought you might wish to consider the Ridgewood Casino, which has a page on this site, albeit a lightly used one.

I say this because the Ridgewood Casino, which was situated at 381-3 Knickerbocker at the corner of Stanhope, would appear to fit the profile – small, 200-250 capacity house that did not outlive the 1910’s – of your “lost” movie house. Also, since the building currently situated on that site almost surely predates the 1910’s, the old place might not even have been demolished.

In any event, you – or anyone else – may wish to check out this page and provide your thoughts.

The Wyckoff Heights blog recently reported that a building permit has been submitted to construct a 10 story building on the old Willoughby’s site. It would continue a religious use on the first floor, with 53 residential units situated above that. My guess is that the current building will be demolished and then completely replaced by the new structure – though it is possible that a part of the old movie house might remain. (I hope the church is making out on this deal.)

The size of the building’s lot will enable a building of this size to be constructed in this relatively low density community.

I use the word “renovations” lightly when talking about what will happen too the old Ridgewood Theater. “Renovations”, would more be in keeping with “renovating what is there”, not destroying the theater’s features in the process, which would include interior “demolition” as opposed to “renovation”.
I hope it’s a “renovation” as opposed to demolition inside the Ridgewood Theater.
As for the Willoughby, does anyone know of any interior photos? Is there anything left of it’s theater days in the church?

Bway, I should have put the word renovations in “quotes” when speaking of the Ridgewood – if only to indicate a sense of irony. I greatly fear that the results will not be good.

Since the old Willoughby served as a dance hall for at least a while before becoming a church – you could say it took the path from the profane to the pious – I suspect that not much of the old place is left. Never having been there, however, I cannot say this for sure.

Thanks for the picture LM. Do you have any indication as to when it was taken? Unfortunately, the name of the movie being shown cannot be made out.

I guess the name “functional” comes to mind when viewing the photo. This was a VERY plain building. The church people, in fact, did a rather fine job in improving the facade when they took over the place.

Just to a look at the Brooklyn Theatre Index and came up with a couple of items. First, while Eric Holmgren did perform architectural work in both 1919 and 1932, an architect named F. C. Dexheimer also did work there in 1915, or about two years after the theater opened.

Second, the Index cites a 1951 – not a 1953 – closing date. It seems as if the place was idle between that date and the 1953 filing of the building permit to convert in into the dance and catering hall.